“AMS will design, install, and operate advanced energy storage systems” at the stores for no upfront cost, while providing grid services and on-site energy savings.

Greentech Media reported, “The systems bring the ability to shave expensive peaks, smooth out imbalances in on-site generation and consumption, and help it meet a goal of powering half of its operations with renewable energy by 2025.”

AMS will not only manage its batteries in conjunction with building load, but also Wal-Mart’s on-site solar or other generation. This effort will eventually create what the startup refers to as a “hybrid electric building” to keep its energy costs down and retain flexibility for utility needs.

Surge in Microgrid DemandThe attractive nature of energy independence from the power grid is only continuing to grow across the States and throughout the world.

The U.S. Department of Energy defines a microgrid as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources. Within its boundaries, it is “a single controllable entity” that can connect or disconnect from the grid “to enable it to operate in both grid-connected or island mode.”

Keeping natural disasters and the unthinkable in mind has businesses strategizing their backup power supply plans.

During recent extreme weather events, Wal-Mart stores played a role in keeping community members safe.

“We want to be a place to restart community after natural disasters,” said Mark Vanderhelm, Vice President of Energy at Wal-Mart, during October’s Energy Storage North America.Microgrid TrendsMicrogrid deployments, which allow institutions to offer on-site power sans grid reliance, have a world of new opportunities ahead of them. As mainstream private sector financing models take a cue from brands like Wal-Mart and become more open to change, the shift to microgrids will become more viable.

GTM Research’s U.S. microgrids 2016 report stated that U.S. cumulative microgrid capacity is expected to reach 4.3 GW by 2020—that’s an 116 percent increase in annual installed capacity from now until then.

And while microgrids “used to give utility executives heartburn” because they seemed to threaten the utility’s resource plan and its obligation to serve reliable power,” the tides have turned.

“The inherent benefit streams from microgrids are varied and include cost reductions that accrue to the owner-operator of the project but also include social value streams. That has been a conundrum for the marketplace,” shared Ken Horne, Energy Director at Navigant Consulting, in a 2016 Utility Diveinterview.

Between 2010 to 2014, around 90 percent of microgrids were owned by the end user. In 2015, this number dropped to 74 percent of the market and only reached around 38 percent of the market last year. Utilities’ market share, which was two percent in 2014 and five percent in 2015, had jumped to about 18 percent in 2016.

In October 2016, the big box titan led the U.S. in corporate solar deployments. By 2015, Wal-Mart had 142 megawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity—mainly in California—and is now focused on 100-percent renewable power.

The corporation is eager to boost energy storage deployments with 17 projects—all in California—including six 200-kilowatt/400-kilowatt-hour solar-tied batteries intended for time-of-use shifting and peak demand shaving.

Wal-Mart has already installed onsite generation at 350 of its stores, mainly to keep locations open when blackouts occur.

“The utility in this case is Southern California Edison, a long-time AMS partner, which ‘will be able to tap into these advanced energy storage systems to reduce demand on the grid as part of SCE’s groundbreaking grid modernization project,’” wrote GreenTech’s Jeff St. John, regarding the utility’s multibillion-dollar grid modernization plan currently before state regulators.

Then, in 2016, AMS won a 40-megawatt contract for what’s known as SCE’s Preferred Resources Pilot(PRP). This is the utility’s effort to procure efficiency, demand response, solar, and storage to help mitigate grid issues within two Orange County substations.

By working with property owner Irving Company and the Irvine Ranch Water District, AMS can deploy 10 megawatts of capacity across 24 office buildings and bring 34 megawatt-hours of batteries to 11 sites across the O.C. region.

VanadiumCorp Resource Inc. and Electrochem Technologies & Materials Inc. are pleased to announce the filing of the national entry phases in South Africa, India and the United States of the international patent application.

VanadiumCorp and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce the following corporate updates: Management’s recommendations approved by shareholders at the AGM / The Company welcomes Mr. Sokhie Puar to the board of VanadiumCorp / Stock Option Update

VanadiumCorp and Electrochem have signed a Patent Option Agreement for Ultra to purchase an exclusive license. Ultra plans to utilize the Australian license of "VEPT" to expedite construction of the world’s first dedicated vanadium processing facility.

VanadiumCorp and Electrochem are pleased to announce that The World Intellectual Property Organization has officially published the Patent Cooperation Treaty of the International Patent Application WO 2018/152628 (A1) on August 30th, 2018.

VanadiumCorp is pleased to announce that Francois Cardarelli, President of Electrochem Technologies & Materials Inc. will be presenting at the Canadian Institute of Mining conference held in Chibougamau on May 2, 2018.

Following the release of an energy storagetechnoeconomic study, ‘The South AfricaEnergy Storage Technology and Market Assessment’, advocating that South Africa requires market preparation to take advantage…

Combining solar panels with batteries to keep electricity flowing when the sun isn't shining has long been the target for companies dabbling in the emerging technologies of the power grid.

This year is seeing more development in that space than ever before, thanks to falling battery and solar prices, the marketing prowess of super-entrepreneur Elon Musk, and national and international clean-energy and climate-change policies.

The clean-energy boom is about to be transformed. In a surprise move, U.S. lawmakers agreed to extend tax credits for solar and wind for another five years. This will give an unprecedented boost to the industry and change the course of deployment in the U.S.

The extension will add an extra 20 gigawatts of solar power—more than every panel ever installed in the U.S. prior to 2015, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). The U.S. was already one of the world's biggest clean-energy investors. This deal is like adding another America of solar power into the mix.

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VanadiumCorp is a mining and technology company with a vision to become the primary producer of vanadium and specialty metals. The Company growth strategy is focused on development of industry leading resources and process technology located in Canada.